I just read it and I see no where where it says God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are one. If fact to me it clearly states they are seperate beings.
2006-12-19 16:57:54 · 11 answers · asked by J T 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It says the Son is "of one substance with the Father," which is not saying they are separate beings. And the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son, and together with them is worshiped." Note that Jesus was made flesh "by the Holy Spirit," yet the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son;" a reciprocal kind of relationship.
If you want thorough clarification of the matter (and a good scare) read The Athanasian Creed.
The author of the Athanasian Creed (probably not St. Athanasius) seems to be of the school of thought that your beliefs ABOUT God are more important than your faith IN God, a view I do not share. Still, doctrine does have some importance.
2006-12-19 17:25:12 · answer #1 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Up until the Council at Nicea (where the Nicene Creed originated) there was never any mention of the Trinity. That is why many people have a problem with the term Trinity. Strict scriptural references point out that Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are the same. ("I and my Father are one" "The name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." etc.) I go with the scriptural basis, not the other creed developed in 325 AD.
2006-12-20 01:05:52 · answer #2 · answered by Michael C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you read it a bit better, it's all about the Trinity. Creed was all about.
Even today, the concept is difficult to explain to somebody who doesn't understand it. If you were to write an explanation to someone, you might have even less success.
The creed is below:
We believe (I believe) in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. (God of God) light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and was made man; was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end. And (I believe) in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess (I confess) one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for (I look for) the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen
Note that it says "born of the father before all ages". This implies that Jesus existed eternally. Consubstantial means that Jesus and the Father are the same in substance. This establishes the first two parts of the trinity.
The concept of the Holy Spirit "proceeding from the Father and the Son", doesn't mean a mere messenger. With the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is to be worshiped and glorified. The Father and the Son are one in substance; one God. The Holy Spirit is worshiped and Glorified with them, and with them, is part of the trinity. One doesn't worship two parts of a God, and a third that isn't.
It was a difficult concept, and difficult to teach. The Nicene creed was the first to do so, and it's modern translations for the most part do it justice. Even reading the first part of John doesn't lead to an immediate understanding of the trinity unless it's explained as such.
2006-12-20 01:20:23 · answer #3 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Which version are you talking about? The one adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the revised version adopted by the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the later Latin version that includes the phrase "Deum de Deo" and the Filioque clause, or the Armenian version?
2006-12-20 01:10:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Nicene Creed is just vein repetition, it is not real prayer. Real prayer comes from the heart not out of a pray book or misselet.
2006-12-20 01:01:23 · answer #5 · answered by tas211 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's fine if you live by the Nicene Creed. But I live by the Bible, so I go by that. Ya just gotta go by your game rules.
2006-12-20 01:09:02 · answer #6 · answered by Sligo 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
And your point is? Just because some of the newer protestant churches say they are one doesn't make it so, they also say that we should focus on Revelation and Paul instesd of what jesus was trying to teach us, and they also insist there will be a rapture, Whick isn't even in the bible They are getting to be as anti-christ as the muslims,
2006-12-20 01:03:21 · answer #7 · answered by judy_r8 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It does?!!? It actually says "beings"?? Maybe you should take another look at that.
Just because we are limited in our ways to experience and describe encounters with God, does not mean there is more than one. How about this example to illustrate my point:
"I believe in my brother, the breaker of my toys and the snitch to my Mom".
How many people am I talking about??
2006-12-20 01:03:13 · answer #8 · answered by Science Guy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who cares what it says? A group of men made it up. God did not dictate anything to any of those fools.
2006-12-20 01:04:29 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it doesn't state they are three separate beings. And the bible is the source of information about this.
2006-12-20 01:00:03 · answer #10 · answered by Esther 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋